Substrate-spreading operation is the main process in the construction of the elevated crop cultivation. However, long-term use of substrates will lead to the accumulation of pathogenic microorganisms, decreased matrix ventilation, and high water retention.
These situations will seriously affect the growth of strawberry and lead to the occurrence of diseases and prevalence of insect pests. Therefore, regular replacement of substrates is a the basic requirement in strawberry cultivation. However, the matrix is transported along distances of tens of meters overhead on the cultivation bed spread. These bed spreads are based on the dictum “operation procedure, the great quantity of work,” and the required paving from the perspectives of filling, transporting, feeding, and blanking are employed to flatten them. The high degree of difficulty and super strength of the human work industry are the main obstacles to the development of elevated cultivation.
Depending on the matrix material and filling, several matrix-filling machines are available: for example, JAVOs (Holland) standard-type matrix filling machine, Demtec (Belgium)'s SMART matrix-filling machine, and the seedling-feeding machine by matrix developed by Saidelin Machinery Co. Ltd. These are the main commercially available equipment. Yuyong, Xin, Huanyu, and Kuichuan conducted matrix seedling-feeding machine design and parameter analysis (Wei Yuyong et al. Facilities horticultural substrate packing machine design and performance research. Journal of Zhejiang University (Agriculture and Life Science Edition), 2013, 39 (3): 318-324; Qu Xin. Forestry seedling. Matrix tray filling machine structure design. The research of agricultural mechanization, 2013, (5): 88-91; Jiang Huanyu et al. Adjust the coating amount of substrate covering machine [P]. China patent: 3141868.6; Sheng Kuichuan et al. Automatic feeding device [P]. China patent plug seedling medium: 200410025088.9.). However, the existing matrix mixing and feeding equipment have the following shortcomings:
(1) The Existing Machines are Large and Immobile.
The existing matrix-mixed material and the material-feeding equipment are fixed on the base plate or the flower pot, and a large fixed table structure is adopted. The equipment itself does not have the ability to move, and it is too large. Hence, adjustment of the elevated cultivation bed for substrate transport and the length of the bed in the direction of movement of paving operations cannot be realized.
(2) The Existing Equipment does not have a Matrix-Packing Function.
The existing equipment does not solve the problem of the mechanical assembly of the matrix. Manual packing and other configurations of substrate-packing equipment involve the problems of intensive labor, labor occupation, and high cost. However, for small mobile equipment, which is required for laying the elevated cultivation bed substrate, the need for container packing is significant.
(3) The Existing Equipment Cannot Achieve Multilink Operation.
To realize enhanced mobile stalls, the two processes of elevating of the matrix to the box and loading the box on to the groove on the elevated cultivation material should be carried out. However, the existing equipment cannot achieve these processes, as it is incapable of multilink operations such as filling, transport, and the feeding and the flattening of complex operations.
The following requirements should be met to resolve the key difficulties:
(1) Coordination of Packing and Mobile Operations
The functions of loading, transporting, paving, feeding, and blanking should be achieved by automatic paving for matrix elevated cultivation. The equipment should facilitate motion control and enable loading, transporting, and paving “before and after” the three links have been made. In addition, feeding and blanking, averaging three synchronous action link coordination, and parameter-matching problem need to be addressed.
(2) Fluidity of the Matrix in the Box
Owing to the differences in the fluidity of the matrix, the pile arch phenomenon may occur: that is, matrix in the local area box is piled into Yamagata, while the other regions remain vacant. During the feeding process, the phenomenon of dig box may occur, and the box near the feeding area and other areas of matrix may be removed to maintain status quo. These two phenomena can cause the failure of the automatic paving matrix.
(3) Adaptability of the Elevated Dimensions
Because of the cultivation of elevated construction error, change existing elevated ups and downs and wide spacing, frame. From the perspective of elevated cultivation, the automatic paving equipment must have the ability to adapt to the overhead errors in the horizontal and vertical directions.